The Hunt of the Grimalkin (Erresuma Book 1) by Dani Swanson (read aloud books txt) 📕

Thea ignored Sorgin. “These witches are strong and we will all need to work together in order to get out of here and return to your families. First and foremost, those who were just rescued need to rest and get their strength back. Tonight, we rest. Tomorrow we all will have work to do. The fairies will continue to work on the doors.” Thea pointed at the group of fairies flying above their heads. They all nodded in agreement. “Brownies and elves will need to split up and work with Agatha in the kitchen to make the spells and potions we might need. Dwarves and gnomes work with Charles to find weapons that we can use.”

Thea was interrupted by a surly troll in the back corner of the room. “What happens if we just give you to the witches? I don’t think they want anything to do with the rest of us, they will let us go if we give you to them.”

Charles walked over to the troll and picked him up to eye level. “She is the reason that you are out of the bottle. I would suggest you show her some respect, mate,” Charles growled at the creature.

The troll spit in Charles’ face; Charles reacted by picking the troll up by the long tuft of hair growing out of the top of his head. Charles marched over to the front door and chucked the troll out onto the lawn just beyond the end of the bubble. The witches cackled as they used the troll as target practice. “Anyone else not want to be a team player?” Charles said, as he wiped his face and shut the door. The room was silent for a moment as Charles walked back in the room. Thea and the others stared in awe at the front door.

Thea cleared a lump in her throat. “I will not force anyone to help me, but please don’t stand in my way of leaving here.”

Charles found rooms for everyone in the house, setting them up with accommodations to be comfortable. Many of the creatures bunked with those they were locked up with for so long. They said they felt safer together.

Robin stayed with Thea and Agatha in their suite. The sisters were in the other room arguing as Thea sat looking out the window, listening to the two of them bicker. “I can’t believe you brought her here like that! That’s horrible of you! You didn’t tell her anything and you pretended to be me? That’s the worst possible thing you could do to someone that can’t remember anything!” Agatha hushed Robin and their arguing became more of a harsh whisper on the other side of the wall. Fig joined Thea on the bench and she scratched his ears. They both saw it at the same time! However, this time they weren’t afraid of it. The Grimalkin was just beyond the edge of the trees, pacing outside the blue bubble of the force field.

Later, Robin came in to talk with Thea. “I’m sorry,” Robin said. She leaned her head on Thea’s shoulder; they were sitting together on the bed staring at the painting across the room.

“You didn’t do it. Your liar of a sister did. I hate her, just so you know,” Thea replied. This just felt right to Thea in a way that she had never felt comfortable with Agatha- pretending to be Robin. Sitting with Robin and just talking like this felt natural and familiar. “So, do you know what I did to get everyone to want me dead?” Thea asked.

“I do,” Robin said with pursed lips. “We were told that Lilly Quinn killed your parents, when she was the grimalkin, and you, in turn were going to avenge their deaths by killing her. When you started to hunt Lilly, you found out that she was stuck as a grimalkin. Someone was controlling her and she couldn’t change back anymore.” Robin was fidgeting with her hair nervously as she was telling Thea the story. “You became obsessed with finding her. All we ever did was look for her, so you could get your revenge, and, so she couldn’t hurt anyone else.” Robin turned to look at her. “You tracked her to an area right outside of the market place. You left on your own to go after her. When the Grimalkin pounced on you, you had a fireball lit in your hand. Lilly was spitting purple fire out of her mouth as she attacked you. I tried to get to you to help, but the two of you collided, and your conjuring joined together. There was a bright flash of light. A strong force that bent the tops of the trees back and blew me to the ground. By the time I got back to my feet, you both were gone. There was a burnt spot on the ground where you had been.”

Thea had moved back to the window, and was watching the Grimalkin pace around the house.

“Since that happened, the Grimalkin hasn’t attacked anyone. She’s been hunting you. I don’t think whoever was controlling her before, still has control though. At least when people would see her before, they could call her name and she would hesitate for a moment; like she understood what was being said. Now, she just growls at everyone and runs right past them.”

Thea turned to looked at Robin.

“So she might not remember who she is either?” Thea questioned.

“I suppose that is a possibility. I didn’t think of that. She was missing for about the same amount of time that you were. I don’t know where you two went, but you were just gone.”

Thea started to pace the room. “Thalia said I tried to destroy her coven?”

Robin took a breath before she started to talk. “You were a little mad. You went to the coven, looking for